German idioms: Verb + preposition

About verb + preposition idioms | List of common verb + preposition idioms | GRAMMAR INDEX

About verb + preposition idioms

There are a number of set phrases in both English and German that consist of a verb + a certain
preposition. Examples of such English phrases are: to wait for, to think of, to name after, to
count on, to believe in, etc. In such idioms, the common meanings of prepositions often do not
apply and the choice of preposition is completely determined by the verb choice. It is therfore
best to learn the German verb and preposition pair together along with the meanings of these
phrases as a whole.
As with all prepositional phrases, the case of the prepositional object will depend on the
preposition itself. Thus, objects of accusative prepositions will take the accusative case and
objects of dative prepositions will take the dative case.
Ich danke dir fr das Geschenk.

I thank you for the present.

danken fr = to thank for
fr is an accusative preposition, so its object will always take the
accusative case

Oma fragt mich immer nach dir.

Grandma always asks me about you.

fragen nach = to ask about
nach is a dative preposition, so its object will always take the
dative case.

Two-way prepositions may take either the accusative case or the dative case. In the verb +
preposition combinations that employ two-way prepositions, it will be necessary to memorize
along with the phrase also the case that the preposition uses in that particular phrase.
Denkst du an mich?

Will you think of me?

denken an = to think of
an is a two-way preposition that happens to take the accusative
case in the phrase denken an.

Er arbeitet an dem Projekt.

He's working on the project.

arbeiten an = to work on
an is a two-way preposition that happens to take the dative case
in the phrase arbeiten an.

Note that sentences that use such prepositional objects may also have other objects as well. This
includes direct and/or indirect objects as well as additional prepositional objects.
Ich danke dir fr das Geschenk.

I thank you for the present.

In addition to the prepositional phrase fr das Geschenk, the
sentence also has a dative object dir. (danken is a dative verb.)

Oma fragt mich immer nach dir.

Grandma always asks me about you.

In addition to the prepositional phrase nach dir, the sentence
also has an accusative direct object mich.

Ich danke dir von Herzen fr das

Geschenk.

I thank you from the heart for the present.

This sentence contains an additional prepositional object in von

Herzen.
About verb + preposition idioms | List of common verb + preposition idioms
GRAMMAR INDEX

List of common verb + preposition idioms

Here is a list of some of the most common verb + preposition idioms in German along with
their English equivalents. They are organized by preposition and, when two-way prepositions,
are sub-grouped according to the case each phrase uses. General tendencies are noted wherever
they apply.

Common German Verb Preposition Idioms

English equivalents

AN
In verb + preposition idioms, the two-way preposition an is used more frequently with the dative case than with
the accusative case. Most of the an + accusative phrases refer to mental processes. The preposition in an +
dative idioms often means in connection with, with respect to.

denken an (+ acc.)

to think of (somebody / something)

erinnern an (+acc.)

to remind of (sb. / sth.)

sich erinnern an (+ acc.)

to remember (sb. / sth.)

sich gewhnen an (+ acc.)

to get used to (sb. / sth.)

glauben an (+ acc.)

to believe in (sb. / sth.)

schreiben an (+ acc.)

to write to (sb.)

arbeiten an (+ dat.)

to work on (sth.)

hindern an (+ dat.)

to prevent from doing (sth.)

leiden an (+ dat.)

to suffer from (sth.)

sterben an (+ dat.)

to die of (sth.)

teilnehmen an (+ dat.)

to take part in (sth.)

zweifeln an (+ dat.)

to doubt (sth.)

AUF
In verb + preposition idioms, the two-way preposition auf is almost always used with the accusative. In the few
instances where auf occurs with the dative, it indicates an enduring position, a lack of movement. Auf is the
most commonly used preposition in verb + preposition idioms.

achten auf (+ acc.)

to pay attention to (sb. / sth.)

antworten auf (+ acc.)

to answer (sth.)

aufpassen auf (+ acc.)

to keep an eye on (sb. / sth.)

beschrnken auf (+ acc.)

to limit to (sth.)

sich beziehen auf (+ acc.)

to refer to (sb. / sth.)

sich freuen auf (+ acc.)

to look forward to (sth.)

hinweisen auf (+ acc.)

to point to (sth.)

hoffen auf (+ acc.)

to hope for (sth.)

sich konzentrieren auf (+ acc.)

to concentrate on (sth.)

reagieren auf (+ acc.)

to react to (sth.)

sich verlassen auf (+ acc.)

to rely on (sb. / sth.)

verzichten auf (+ acc.)

to do without (sb. / sth.)

warten auf (+ acc.)

to wait for (sb. / sth.)

zhlen auf (+ acc.)

to count on (sb. / sth.)

bestehen auf (+ dat.)

to insist on (sth.)

AUS
The dative preposition aus usually remains close to its conventional meaning of of or from.

bestehen aus

to consist of (sth.)

entnehmen aus

to gather from (sth.)

sich ergeben aus

to result from (sth.)

schlieen aus

to conclude from (sth.)

FR
The accusative preposition fr usually remains close to its conventional meaning for.

sich begeistern fr

to be enthusiastic about (sth.)

danken fr

to thank for (sth.)

sich eignen fr

to be suitable for (sb. / sth.)

sich entscheiden fr

to decide in favor of (sb. / sth.)

halten fr

to consider to be (sth.)

sich interessieren fr

to be interested in (sb. / sth.)

sorgen fr

to take care of (sb. / sth.)

IN
In most verb + preposition combinations, the two-way preposition in is used with the accusative.

einfhren in (+ acc.)

to introduce to (sth.)

sich einmischen in (+ acc.)

to intervene, meddle in (sth.)

einwilligen in (+ acc.)

to agree to (sth.)

sich verlieben in (+ acc.)

to fall in love with (sb.)

sich vertiefen in (+ acc.)

to become engrossed in (sth.)

bestehen in (+ dat.)

consist in (sth.)

MIT

The dative preposition mit normally means with in verb + preposition idioms.

sich abfinden mit

to be satisfied with (sth.)

anfangen mit

to start with (sth.)

aufhren mit

to stop doing (sth.)

sich befassen mit

to deal with (sb. / sth.)

sich beschftigen mit

to be busy with (sb. / sth.)

rechnen mit

to count on (sth.)

sprechen mit

to speak with (sb.)

telefonieren mit

to talk on the phone with (sb.)

bereinstimmen mit

to agree with (sb. / sth.)

sich unterhalten mit

to converse with (sb.)

NACH
The dative preposition nach often means after or for with verbs of calling, asking, longing, and reaching. With
sensory verbs (e.g. to smell, to taste), nach usually means of or like.

aussehen nach

to look like (sth.)

sich erkundigen nach

to inquire about (sb. / sth.)

fragen nach

to ask about/for (sb. / sth.)

greifen nach

to grab at (sth.)

riechen nach

to smell like/of (sth.)

schmecken nach

to taste like (sth.)

sich sehnen nach

to long for (sth.)

streben nach

to strive for (sth.)

suchen nach

to search for (sb. / sth.)

BER
In verb + preposition idioms, the two-way preposition ber is always used with the accusative case. In a
number of idioms, ber means about.

sich rgern ber (+ acc.)

to be annoyed about (sb. / sth.)

sich beschweren ber (+ acc.)

to complain about (sb. / sth.)

diskutieren ber (+ acc.)

to discuss (sth.)

sich informieren ber (+ acc.)

to inform oneself about (sth.)

klagen ber (+ acc.)

to complain about (sb. / sth.)

lachen ber (+ acc.)

to laugh about (sb. / sth.)

nachdenken ber (+ acc.)

to think about, ponder (sb. / sth.)

spotten ber (+ acc.)

to mock (sb. / sth.)

sprechen ber (+ acc.)

to talk about (sb. / sth.)

sich streiten ber (+ acc.)

to argue about (sth.)

urteilen ber (+ acc.)

to judge (sb. / sth.)

verfgen ber (+ acc.)

to have (sth.) at one's disposal

sich wundern ber (+ acc)

to be surpised at/about (sb. / sth.)

UM
The accusative preposition um usually has the sense of concerning or with respect to in verb + preposition
idioms.

sich bemhen um

to make efforts toward (sth.)

betrgen um

to cheat out of (sth.)

bitten um

to ask for (sth.)

sich handeln um

to be about (sth.)

kmpfen um

to fight about (sth.)

konkurrieren um

to compete for (sth.)

sich kmmern um

to take care of (sb. / sth.)

VON
The dative preposition von usually has the sense of English of or from in verb + preposition idioms. Some
verbs of thinking or communication may be used in combination with von or ber in the sense of about, but in
these instances ber conveys a more in-depth knowledge or communication than does von.

abhngen von

to depend on (sb. / sth.)

abraten von

to advise against (sth.)

absehen von

to disregard (sth.)

erholen von

to recover from (sth.)

erzhlen von

to tell about (sb. / sth.)

etw. halten von

to think sth. of (sb. / sth.)

sprechen von

to speak of (sb. / sth.)

trumen von

to dream of (sb. / sth.)

berzeugen von

to convince of (sth.)

wissen von

to know of (sb. / sth.)

VOR
The two-way preposition vor is always used with the dative case in verb + preposition idioms. With verbs of
fear and protection, it usually means of and from or against respectively.

Angst haben vor (+ dat.)

to be afraid of (sb. / sth.)

beschtzen vor (+ dat)

to protect from (sb. / sth.)

fliehen vor (+ dat.)

to flee from (sb. /sth.)

sich frchten vor (+ dat.)

to be afraid of (sb. / sth.)

sich hten vor (+ dat.)

to be on guard against (sb. / sth.)

retten vor (+ dat.)

to save from (sb. / sth.)

warnen vor (+ dat.)

to warn against (sb. / sth.)

ZU
In verb + preposition idioms, the dative preposition zu sometimes means to or into, particularly with verbs of
empowering, leading, persuading, etc.

beitragen zu

to contribute to (sb. / sth.)

bewegen zu

to induce to (do sth.)

dienen zu

to serve the purpose of (sth.)

sich eignen zu

to be suitable as (sth.)

fhren zu

to lead to (sth.)

gehren zu

to part of (sth.)

gratulieren zu

to congratulate on (sth.)

herausfordern zu

to challenge to (sth.)

neigen zu

to lean toward (sb. / sth.)

passen zu

to suit (sb. / sth.)

rechnen zu

to count as one of (sth.)

treiben zu

to drive / impel to (sth.)

berreden zu

to talk into (sth.)

zhlen zu

to count as one of (sth.)

zwingen zu

to force into (doing sth.)